Council has been undertaking scientific researches for the development of Homoeopathy since the time of its inception. This short review of Central Council for Research in Homoeopathy quarterly bulletin volume 17 (1-4) 1995 will showcase the previous researches and studies carried out by the Council to a much wider population across the globe today. The aim is to provide insight into what has already been researched by the council and reiterate what has been previously published. The major emphasis of this issue was on the role of Homoeopathy in metabolic disorders, medicinal plants used in Homoeopathy and their standardization parameters besides proving data of few drugs.

Volume 17 (1 & 2)

Homoeopathy in Disorders of Endocrine and Metabolic Diseases

The author, Dr. K. P. Mazumdar, presented this paper in National Homoeopathic Conference, Bombay in February 1995 explaining the therapeutic possibilities in the treatment of endocrinal disorders in general and has beautifully defined endocrinopathy through the process of disease evolution of Hahnemannian pathology, i.e., called miasmatic pathology. The author describes three categories of patients (a) where the blood sugar rises (like on stress) and may come down to normal level without any medication. Exercise, diet, and counseling help these patients under normal state. These are pre or potential diabetics (Psoric). (b) The second group is where the patient is confirmed diabetic and is under oral hypoglycemic agents. In these homoeopathic treatment may be started with usual dietetic restrictions and exercise. With the passage of time, the need for oral hypoglycemic remedy will become less with overall improvement in the patient. (c) Third group is an advance stage where he is fully dependent on insulin. It is an observation of author that even, in this case, we can institute the homoeopathic therapy so that the failure of the organ can be salvaged to some extent and insulin doses can be reduced with oral hypoglycemic remedies introduced simultaneously. Further author has discussed some of the homoeopathic remedies for these three clinical groups. To finish, a clinical case with signs and symptoms of hypertension and glycosuria treated with Natrum carbonicum 1M has been presented.

An article by Dr. E. Sundaram illustrates the role of endocrinology and corelatory parameters for the screening of Homoeopathic drugs viz. Histological studies, histochemical studies (to determine the histochemical changes in endocrine glands after administration of homoeopathic drugs in the form of mother tincture as well as different potencies at optimum dose level and optimum duration in order to estimate the drug's efficacy), histopathological studies (to determine the toxic and other abnormal effects of homoeopathic drugs to locate the drug's action at molecular and cellular level on endocrine glands), hormonal assay (to determine the hormonal level viz., thyroxin, vasopressin, prolactin, estrogen, cortisol, etc., in terms of its release or inhibition after administration of homoeopathic drugs) and hypoglycemic studies (homoeopathic drugs are being screened for its anti-diabetic activity by conducting experiments on animals to know drug action on islet of Langerhans of pancreas.

Symplocos racemosa Roxb. is a small tree distributed throughout northeastern India. It is used in the treatment of dysentery, liver complaints, bleeding gums, menorrhagia and other uterine disorders. This drug was undertaken for a study to assess its anti-hemorrhagic property at Homoeopathic Drug Research Institute, Lucknow. This was a non-homoeopathic pharmacopoeia drug. Hence the mother tincture was been prepared at the institute on the basis of maximum extractive value, and in accordance with the procedure laid down in Homoeopathic Pharmacopoeia of India (Vol. 1, 1971). This experimental study was performed on albino rabbits which were divided into three groups and received test drug S. racemosa Q, normal control saline (0.9% saline) and control (60% alcohol), respectively. From the result of the study, it was found that drug S. racemosa Q at a dose level at 25 µl/100 gm body weight in albino rabbits showed a significant decrease in whole blood coagulation time, prothrombin time, and fibrinolytic activity. The author concluded that S. racemosa Q possess significant anti-hemorrhagic potential.

Standardization of Homoeopathic Drugs: A Pharmaceutical Perspective

Author Dr. D.M. Singh emphasizes that therapeutic efficacy of any drug depends upon purity and quality of crude as well as finished drug/product. Various sources of raw materials in Homoeopathy viz., botanical, biological or mineral origin have different parameters. Hence, the author has summarized parameters in general for raw material viz. Botanical/biological/microbiological/chemical names, etc., description, identification, part used assay, preparation, chemical/biochemical reactions, limit tests/solubility/assay for chemicals, macroscopy/microscopy/distribution for the botanical drug, habitat, history and authority, caution/toxicity, storage. The parameters for finished products described are Alcohol content, pH value, W/mL, total solids, % max (max. absorbance in U.V. range), identification tests (color reactions/thin layer chromatography), assay, absence of foreign matters, absence of abnormal toxicity, sterility in selected categories. This informative article ends with aphorism 266 of Organon of Medicine ”substances belonging to the animal and vegetable kingdom possess their medicinal qualities most perfectly in their raw state.”

Indian Medicinal Plants for the Homoeopathic Treatment of Various Skin Ailments

The authors Dr. D. P. Rastogi, Dr. H. C. Gupta, Dr. S. Rajan and Dr. Sunil Kumar present a list of medicinal plants used in homoeopathic treatment of various skin ailments. The author aims to present a consolidated spectrum of indigenous and exotic plants with their specific part used for the treatment of various skin diseases through Homoeopathy. This list comprising 81 species under 79 genera and 49 families in alphabetical order with valid botanical name, part used, distribution, clinical indications and citation of homoeopathic literature used, serves as a tool for the benefit of homoeopathic drug manufacturers, homoeopaths and researchers for utilization of plant wealth and further pharmacological and clinical studies. In another article in the issue, Dr. H. C. Gupta writes about the occurrence and availability of medicinal plants used in Homoeopathy.

In another article of the bulletin, Dr. D. P. Rastogi has mentioned few cases in which remedy was selected on the basis of Boger's Boenninghausen Repertory and has shown wonderful results.

Volume 17 (3 and 4)

Proving Reports

The current bulletin provides proving data of three drugs proved by the council viz. Embelia ribes, Lapis alba and Thymol. The proving report includes details of proving centers, methodology, potency used, and source of the drug along with provers list. The data provided for these drugs may be of additional help in their proper selection in addition to what is already given in the literature.

The prominent sphere of action of drug Embelia ribes was found to be on abdomen and rectum besides symptoms of head, eyes, nose, throat, stomach, respiratory system, chest, back, and fever

Proving of Lapis alba gave symptoms of mind, head, nose, abdomen and stool

Evaluation of Homoeopathic Therapy in the Management of Human Immunodeficiency Virus Disease

Council's study “A double-blind randomized placebo controlled clinical trial of Homoeopathic medicines in human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) disease” has been discussed in this issue by authors Dr. D. P. Rastogi, Dr. V. P. Singh, Dr. Vikram Singh, Dr. S. K. Dey, Dr. P. K. Rao. Thirty HIV-infected patients were registered in the study during February 1993 to November 1994. The results of the study indicated a positive role of homoeopathic medicines also in the management of HIV-related clinical conditions. No untoward adverse reactions of homoeopathic medicines were observed during study. Most commonly used Homoeopathic medicines were Phosphorous (30,200, 1M), Nitric acid (30,200), Calcarea phosphoricum (30,200), Natrum muraticum (200, 1M), and Tuberculinum (200, 1M). The observations made during the study indicated that homoeopathic medicines may be used as immune-modulating agents thereby facilitating delayed progression of infection, prolonged survival and improvement in the quality of life without causing undesirable adverse reactions in HIV-infected individuals.

Management and Homoeopathic Treatment of Peripheral Vascular Disease in Relation to Diabetes Mellitus

Author Dr. Hafeezullah Baig and Dr. D. P. Rastogi detail the causes, pathogenesis, biochemical changes, complications and management of peripheral vascular disease (PVD) in relation to diabetes mellitus in this study. Author states that administration of Cephalandra indica Q in the treatment of diabetes mellitus was found efficacious in preventing PVD besides controlling the sugar levels. Other drugs such as Apis mellifica, Arsenic album, Cantharis, Carbo animalis, Carbo veg, Cinchona officinalis, Lachesis, Lycopodium, Phosphorus, Rhus tox, Silicea, Sulphur, etc., were also found effective in certain cases. Administration of one drop/kg body weight dosage of C. indica Q was found appropriate, whereas fifty millesimal potencies in the case of other drugs were found effective. Furthermore, six cases of diabetes mellitus with PVD treated with homoeopathic medicine have been presented in this article.

Evaluation of Homoeopathic Therapy in Behavioral Disorders

From the very beginning, Council is actively engaged in clinical research on mental diseases and one of its prime studies is an evaluation of homoeopathic therapy in behavioral disorders. Dr. D.P. Rastogi, Dr. V. A. Balachandran and Dr. B. Indira presented study of seventy cases with schizophrenia, affective disorders, anxiety disorders and drug/alcohol associated behavioral disorders. The results obtained in this series of cases are promising and validate earlier findings regarding the usefulness of Homoeopathy in mental disorders. Homoeopathic medicines found to be useful are Calc carb, Hyoscyamus, Lachesis, Merc sol, Nux vomica, Pulsatilla, Phosphorus, Stramonium, Tarentula h and Veratrum album. The author concludes that Homoeopathy has a truly therapeutic role in the management of mental disorders, and miasmatic treatment should, therefore, form an integral part of the therapeutic management of behavioral disorders.

Exotic Medicinal Plants Useful in Homoeopathy Found in Nilgiri District Tamil Nadu

Authors Dr. Suresh Baburaj, Dr. John Britto and Dr. G. K. Mathew conducted survey while exhaustively scrutinizing the literature and during field trips in Nilgiri district, collected a number of such exotics which are found to be useful in the Homoeopathic System of Medicine. These are preserved as exsiccate in the herbarium of the office while few are being cultivated in the research garden. Seventy-three such exotic plants useful in Homoeopathy are listed with their name, part used and uses for benefit by research workers.

Clinically Verified Data of Some Lesser Known Drugs for Common Diseases

Dr. A. K. Vichitra has presented the clinically verified data of some lesser known drugs for common diseases, compiled from the reports of clinical verification unit, Ghaziabad. The reliable indications of some of the drugs whose data has been confirmed for certain common diseases is presented by the author.

Finally, the current issue includes another article of the series on “Alternating Symptoms in Homoeopathic Materia Medica” by Dr. Krishna Singh continued from previous issue. The alternating symptoms of face, cheek, jaw, mouth, tongue, taste, and teeth are included in this volume of quarterly bulletin.